My husband and I had heard the buzz about Awendaw Green and its Wednesday night Barn Jams for years. The romantic notion of live music performed in a small, outdoor setting appealed to us, so we headed north on U.S. Highway 17 until we reached the loosely organized town of Awendaw. We turned off the road at Sewee Outpost, the amped-up country store that hosts the weekly gathering, and parked by the pond out back.
We arrived by evening light, just as the night’s first musician, acoustic guitarist Jacob Johnson, began strumming away on the sound stage beneath the barn’s awning. To the side of the seating area, volunteers were stoking the grills, the outdoor pizza oven and the fire pots, because even though it was the first day of spring, it was still jacket weather. It didn’t take long to find the heart of this operation. Eddie White—a dentist by day and master of ceremonies at Awendaw Green by night—was shoveling Bulls Bay oysters into the steamer and offered a friendly welcome. Dressed in a long-sleeved “Staff” T-shirt and jeans, he ran his hands through his wavy, salt-and-pepper hair as he explained how it all came about.
He wasn’t a musician, just a dad who wanted to give his son’s band and others a place to play. With the support of some well-connected friends, including Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish and singer-songwriter Danielle Howle, who serves as artist-in-residence, the idea of an outdoor performance space caught on. Over the past five years, Awendaw Green has grown into a nurturing arts community where musicians can write, rehearse and record. It’s also become a launching spot for local bands and a destination venue for touring acts, even though White can offer them little more than gas money.
“It’s all about listening room,” he said. “If you find people that listen, then that’s what the artists want.”
Each Wednesday is a musical buffet unlikely to be repeated at any other time or in any other place. This particular Barn Jam offered Johnson (neo-acoustic folk-funk), Dr. Roundhouse (medical-grade rock ‘n’ roll), Country Mice (rural middle-America rock for city folk) and TJ Kong + the Atomic Bomb (post-apocalypse blues). Then there was blues-Americana-funk-folk artist Heather Luttrell, who stopped by to play songs from her first full-length album, “Possumdiva.” The red-haired singer delivered her clever, story-telling lyrics, played guitar and banjo and was brave enough to whip out a kazoo.
Luttrell grew up in a bluegrass family, has shared stages with the likes of Lyle Lovett, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Patty Griffin and even competed on a reality show for aspiring rock stars, yet she was happy to be playing in this intimate setting. Stepping off the stage, she joined the crowd to catch the next act and chatted about the unique sense of community musicians feel when they visit Awendaw Green.
“It’s very special,” she said. “I always feel at ease as soon as I get here.”
By the last set, 100 or so guests had turned out underneath the oaks. Whether milling around the shucking table, huddled by the fire pots or sitting a few steps from the artists on stage, we enjoyed the serendipity of it all. For newcomers and regulars alike, there was a sense of being part of something magical.
“People are really there to connect with the musicians and with each other,” White said. “And it's a beautiful thing.”
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GET THERE
Awendaw Green Barn Jams
Location: 4879 U.S. Highway 17 in Awendaw, adjacent to the Sewee Outpost store.
Time: 6–10 p.m. Wednesdays, throughout the year.
Cost: $5 donation requested for each adult; children 12 and under, free.
Food and drink: Hamburgers, hot dogs or “Awendawgs,” grilled chicken, roasted corn, gourmet pizzas, s’more kits, snacks, soft drinks and roasted oysters (in season) can be purchased on site. You also can pick up grocery items, beverages and boiled peanuts next door at the Sewee Outpost, or bring your own.
Alcohol: Allowed for ages 21 and older, and available at the Sewee Outpost, but not sold on site.
You might also want to bring: Layers or blankets, especially during cold months, and bug spray and your own seats during warm months when the crowds grow.
To see future line-ups and learn more: See awendawgreen.com or visit Awendaw Green on Facebook.